If They Hadn't Traveled
by Ormspryde
Summary: What if Cecil had had a different reason to betray his brother? AU, will eventually contain SLASH. Character deaths.
1. Prologue

A/N: Well, here goes attempt number two to revise and continue posting this thing. XP

What man, when faced with Death himself, will not struggle to his utmost to slip the terrible, final grasp of those cold and boney fingers? Will not do his best to writhe away from the sword which threatens to transfix him?

But sometimes, Death comes in the guise of someone so dear to the heart, so trusted, that all thought of struggle is banished, and the only possible reaction is a blank and unbelieving stare.


	2. Divergence

A/N: I stopped caring after 'Brother From Another Series', so this is going to be pretty AU. Have fun?

Two brothers stood together in the inner workings of a dam. One of them, the shorter one, had a gun; the green eyes beneath his curly blonde hair were cold, almost dead - except for the white-hot spark of...rage? madness?...in their depths.

His brother had shockingly red hair, a startling contrast to his grey eyes. He stared at the gun as though he'd never seen one before; as though this weapon were totally alien to his comprehension. In a manner of speaking, it was. He would never in a million years have suspected Cecil of being able to betray him like this.

Neither man moved, but the air between them all but crackled with the terrible tension. They had only a superficial awareness of their surroundings, or of the two children who cowered behind the redhead.

It was Robert who finally broke the silence.

"Cecil, why are you doing this?" he pleaded, even daring take a step forward. He could hardly imagine, after all they had been through, that the other man would murder him.

"Stay back, Bob," his brother warned. "I _will _shoot you."

"But why...?"

The shorter man's eyes turned dark with some hidden emotion; Robert almost imagined that it was desperation. "You already know that. Even though you don't know that you know it."

"What is _that _supposed to mean?" the other man demanded, almost hysterically. "Would it kill you to give me a straight answer!"

"No," came the flat reply. "But it might kill you."

For the rest of his life, the redhead would desperately want to believe that his brother hesitated before pulling the trigger; that for one bright and shining moment, it looked as though Cecil would come to his senses and lower the gun.

The moment hung in midair, quivered, and then fell.

The redhead dropped to the rough floor, clutching at the spreading stain in his shirt; the childrens' screams and the gunshot echoed in the concrete room. Despairingly, he looked at his younger brother, who avoided his gaze.

Raising his voice, Cecil turned his attention to the cringing brother and sister. "You there, Bart, is it? I believe you have something that belongs to me." He twitched the gun at the ten-year-old boy, who staggered over with a suitcase full of money, his blue eyes fixed fearfully on the weapon.

With the case safely in hand, the man backed out of the room, slamming the door with a chilling clang - and doubtless, locking it.

Immediately, the ten-year-old boy panicked. "What are we gonna do, Lis'?"

His babbling and the girl's reply were mere background noise, almost incomprehensible, to the redhead, who lay mired in his own pain. He managed to gather himself after a long moment. 'Did he lock the door?' he rasped.

Lisa hastened to check, but the door was indeed locked.

He thought a moment, as best he could, then nodded to a grate set into the floor. 'Remove that grate, there's a spillway that will take you out of here.'

The siblings collectively removed the barrier, but they both hesitated. Nothing in their brief experiences could have prepared them for this day, this moment.

The man had curled himself into a ball, his grey eyes unfocused and his expression tight; it was taking all of his self-control not to scream.

"A-aren't you coming with us?" the girl stammered.

The eyes focused on her. "Can't get up...go..." He passed a bloody hand before his face. "...cold..."

"But Bob..."

He wanted to to tell her to go, to just leave him, but suddenly he could not - the pain overwhelmed him, and with a final shudder, he plunged into merciful unconsciousness.


End file.
